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Palas Caercia
Geography Palas Caercia is a relatively expansive region in regards to land mass, but the majority of the land within its center is largely inhospitable and sees little in the way of human habitation. A few remaining Rijwak goblin villages dot the rocky, hilly central area of the territory known within the three great human centers as the Erian Expanse, but the villages and organizations of the goblins, even their larger settlements to the south, are largely ignored by the more powerful and more prevalent Human Caercian government. The notable habitable areas used by the majority of the human population are the great Caercian Seas and their surrounding lands and the hills and mountain to the east. The Caercian Seas are the smaller Iric Sea in the northwestern area of the territory sharing much territorial influence and overlap with the Bratic Sea to its west, and to the south is the Sea of Cice, though not originally a Caercian Sea and in fact not a true sea at all being a freshwater great lake, it is inhabited not by humans but by the Rijwak goblins, it is often now included in defining the dominion of Palas Caercia in its reference as Crown Jewel of the Three Seas and the Mighty Mountain. In the eastern portion of Palas Caercia lies the only human population center that does not lie on the border of a sea, Mt. Ritius is the tallest point in the territory being the beginning of the Discord Mountain Range in the west. A great fortress city, now known as Palas Ritius, is built across a great river that flows down from the icy tip of this mountain and into the Expanse and marks the largest sign of human habitation in this region of the territory. People Palas Caercia is dominated by humans but there is another race, the Rijwak Goblins who live within the rocky and desolate hills of the central territory. The human population of Palas Caercia varies between the two great cities, with those originating from Palas Caercia proper along the Bratic and Iric Seas bear a resemblance somewhat reminiscent of the lower born Salterri, with some influences from the Wyrmar to their north. They are lean, light brown skinned humans with dark hair and thin eyes, they are of medium build, thicker than their Wyrmar or Salterri cousins but not as thickly built as those originating from Palas Ritius or Pavonia. They often have emerald green eyes though brown eyes are common enough as to not be considered strange. Rarely the dull blue eyes of Wyrmar heritage come through. As the current ruling family is of Palas Caercian blood there is some inclination towards attempting to appear similar. The attitudes of most Caercians from Palas Caercia proper is a calculating desire to spread their culture to those with what they deem inferior structure through diplomacy and integration countered by a desire to partake in a large amount of recreational behavior they believe to be reflective of their superior culture. The humans of Palas Ritius bear a striking resemblance to the men of the eastern state of Pavonia and it is largely accepted that the inhabitants of the mountain are immigrants from the eastern land who fled during the period of warring states in their ancient homeland. Often lighter of skin and hair than their western leaders and with larger eyes a Ritian man is easily distinguishable from a Caercian man if not for the bleeding of styles that has taken place over the past thirty years since unification. The humans of Palas Ritius are products of their ancestral homeland of Pavonia, natural warriors with strong convictions and minds for war if somewhat dulled in the aspects of diplomacy and guile. When they first met the humans of Palas Caercia Proper they had a common enemy in the Rijwak and as they united to fight the goblin menace they failed to realize the culture of Palas Caercia was seeping into their own. After the war the heir to the Ritian throne was being advised by half a dozen 'temporary' Caercian advisers and after only a few years the city of Mount Ritius was renamed Palas Ritius and the people began to see themselves as Caercians. At this time the Ritians now see themselves as loyal members of the nation of Palas Caercia and while the superstitions and rituals of their Pavonian heritage remain, and have even influenced some Caercian traditions, by and large they are Caercianized citizens. The Rijwak Goblins once lived within the central area of Palas Caercia but now live to the far south around the Sea of Cice. Despite their supposed decades of living within the central steppe no records exist from before or after unification of any settlement large enough to be classified as a city. The Rijwak, their own name for their people, are short bluish green skinned creatures with manes of thick white hair running down their backs. For centuries prior to unification the Rijwak were seen as an aggressive and dangerous obstacle preventing inland travel within the land now known as Palas Caercia and only in the past five years has peace finally managed to emerge between the human populations and the Rijwak. History 400 years prior to unification the first and greatest city of the lands was built upon the shores of the Bratic and Iric Seas, Palas Caercia. Palas Caercia was built by Caercia Bei, a great leader from the lands to the north. Palas Caercia quickly grew to dominate the fertile lands surrounding the seas and the seas, though maintaining their original names, were renamed the Caercian Seas and the first city state of Palus Caercia grew up within the area. Growing quickly the city state turned its attention inland only fifty years after Caercia Bei had founded the city now under the guidance of his eldest son. The expeditions were sent to investigate the lands to the south as Caercai Bei had himself decreed that no Caercian would seek to spread north where lands were already controlled by the great Imperium from which he had come. These expeditions were the first to discover the Rijwak and in doing so they initiated a war that would last for the next four and a half centuries. The war with the Rijwak goblins went disastrously for Palas Caercia, itself having never experienced war with a foreign power and the goblins could have eliminated the city many times over but they never seemed willing to attack the city directly. For years the rulers of Palas Caercia assured the people that soon the war would end and the simplistic goblin tribes would be driven back but continually they failed to do so and after one hundred years of varying levels of war the city state eventually ceased attempting to push further in and remained at war with the Rijwak only in words. One hundred years ago, under the leadership of Caercia Bei VI the city state of Palas Caercia moved to reignite the war, but rather than attempt open warfare against the goblins immediately the city sent expeditions to the northwest, hoping to come into contact with the Salterri of legends, but instead they found the city state of Mt Ritius, who itself had encountered the Rijwak goblins and fought a losing war against the inhabitants of the Expanse, due not to inexperience, the Caercian reason for loss, but due to a much smaller sized army. The two city states plotted and came to unite against their goblin foe and in a coordinated attack decimated the Rijwak homeland and scattered the goblins from ever unifying again. It must be noted that the goblins were found to have at this time been suffering greatly from some strange disease to which the humans seemed immune but such affliction was only taken to be a sign from the Lady Silver that it was the divine purpose of the cities to unite against their common foe. Following the decimation of the Rijwak population and their subsequent forced migration south trade routes flourished between Palas Caercia and Palas Ritius, as it was subsequently renamed, and the city states united through marriage and alliance to form the nation of Palas Caercia. In the following years the new nation went on to send emissaries to the bedraggled Rijwak populace with the half offer, half demand to sign the Treaty of Grulaj, which saw the Rijwak recognize Palas Caercia as its sovereign protector and lord state and in return promised to leave the Rijwak to mostly their own devices to the south an agreement which has been more or less maintained and has kept each party relatively comfortable if not happy. Resources The major crop grown around the lush area of Palas Caercia is Flax, brought with the Caercian men from the north the plant quickly adapted to the climate and took root fast, becoming the major agricultural anchor for the original city state. The flax is used for clothing and sails for trade ships in its manufactured form of Linen, and its oil provides a myriad of uses amongst the populace. The relatively barren, but grassy hills and mountains of the Erian Expanse despite not lending themselves well to sustained human habitation appear to be perfect grazing areas for herd animals, the most notable and most used of which are the Caercian Horses. Somewhat smaller than the horses said to be found to the east further along the Discord Mountain range due to having been bred by the Rijwak for many centuries their use by the humans of both Palas Caercia and Palas Ritius has seen a sizable stock of healthy riding horses emerge for use by humans though they are still often found to breed slighter and faster rather than bulky and strong. The usage of horses throughout the lands has led to a demand for leather for use for saddles and bridles and while not a resource requirement, is something much sought after by the famed Caercian Riders. Originally a native plant to the Erian Expanse but now grown heavily as a crop in Palas Ritius, Cana Bean has been used for centuries by the Rijwak as a religious and medicinal drug and was quickly adopted by both human cities for similar purposes. Both chewed directly and brewed in hot water to make Cana Tea, the Cana Bean is said to relax the mind and body and open oneself up to deeper understandings of the world around them. The Bean is primarily used for religious purposes among the common people, though it is used for medicine as well due to the nature of the preacher/healer overlap within the human settlements. It also enjoys popularity amongst the noble classes as a recreational enjoyment and a staple within diplomatic discussion rooms. Brought into Palas Caercia in ancient times, legends claim from somewhere to the east the Potato has always been a staple in the diet of Caercian and Ritian men although the Rijwak seem to find the tuber to be unpalatable. Though for many years belonging in household gardens and small time farms by decree of Caercia Bei XII, predecessor to Lord Protector Markus Caercia, the crop saw a surge in large scale farming, becoming the primary food crop of all of Palas Caercia and produced with such abundance as to even have stores left for trade with the outside world. The tuber sees a variety of cooking styles most if which call for large amounts of salt, which while not an import necessity is certainly greatly desired by the common folk, and especially the common cook. The great desire of the people is importing silver which holds much value in relation to their religion and as the rarest and most precious metal found within the minor veins found throughout the land. Religion The people of Palas Caercia do not follow an organized religion explicitly due by in large to lacking an organized religious structure. However, remnants of the Salterri religion brought to them in ancient days by the founder of Palas Caercia proper remains prevalent and the majority of the humans worship The Lady Silver as a spirit of benevolence and guidance for the humans of the land. She is also credited with seeing to the unification of the humans and the defeat of the Rijwak. The Rijwak follow an ancient and complicated tradition of ancestor worship, exact details are not known to those outside Rijwak culture, but it is known that the use of the Cana Bean plays an important role in their practices. References http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18019881&postcount=34 Category:Regions Category:Capital Regions Category:Regions in the Salterri Imperium Category:Regions of Telluris Category:Capital Regions of Telluris